FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1713   1714   1715   1716   1717   1718   1719   1720   1721   1722   1723   1724   1725   1726   1727   1728   1729   1730   1731   1732   1733   1734   1735   1736   1737  
1738   1739   1740   1741   1742   1743   1744   1745   1746   1747   1748   1749   1750   1751   1752   1753   1754   1755   1756   1757   1758   1759   1760   1761   1762   >>   >|  
ld had a vote--no matter about the sex. The sole occupations of the people were farming and fishing; their sole recreation, religious services. There has never been a shop in the island, nor any money. The habits and dress of the people have always been primitive, and their laws simple to puerility. They have lived in a deep Sabbath tranquillity, far from the world and its ambitions and vexations, and neither knowing nor caring what was going on in the mighty empires that lie beyond their limitless ocean solitudes. Once in three or four years a ship touched there, moved them with aged news of bloody battles, devastating epidemics, fallen thrones, and ruined dynasties, then traded them some soap and flannel for some yams and breadfruit, and sailed away, leaving them to retire into their peaceful dreams and pious dissipations once more. On the 8th of last September, Admiral de Horsey, commander-in-chief of the British fleet in the Pacific, visited Pitcairn's Island, and speaks as follows in his official report to the admiralty: They have beans, carrots, turnips, cabbages, and a little maize; pineapples, fig trees, custard-apples, and oranges; lemons, and cocoanuts. Clothing is obtained alone from passing ships, in barter for refreshments. There are no springs on the island, but as it rains generally once a month they have plenty of water, although at times in former years they have suffered from drought. No alcoholic liquors, except for medicinal purposes, are used, and a drunkard is unknown.... The necessary articles required by the islanders are best shown by those we furnished in barter for refreshments: namely, flannel, serge, drill, half-boots, combs, tobacco, and soap. They also stand much in need of maps and slates for their school, and tools of any kind are most acceptable. I caused them to be supplied from the public stores with a Union jack: for display on the arrival of ships, and a pit-saw, of which they were greatly in need. This, I trust, will meet the approval of their lordships. If the munificent people of England were only aware of the wants of this most deserving little colony, they would not long go unsupplied.... Divine service is held every Sunday at 10.30 A.M. and at 3 P.M., in the house built and used by John Adams for that purpose until he died in 1829. It is conducted str
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1713   1714   1715   1716   1717   1718   1719   1720   1721   1722   1723   1724   1725   1726   1727   1728   1729   1730   1731   1732   1733   1734   1735   1736   1737  
1738   1739   1740   1741   1742   1743   1744   1745   1746   1747   1748   1749   1750   1751   1752   1753   1754   1755   1756   1757   1758   1759   1760   1761   1762   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
people
 

flannel

 

island

 

refreshments

 

barter

 

passing

 

generally

 
furnished
 

tobacco

 
springs

slates

 

alcoholic

 

liquors

 

drought

 

suffered

 
plenty
 

medicinal

 
islanders
 

required

 

articles


purposes

 
drunkard
 

unknown

 

service

 

Sunday

 

Divine

 

unsupplied

 
colony
 

conducted

 

purpose


deserving
 

stores

 
display
 

arrival

 

public

 

supplied

 

acceptable

 

caused

 

munificent

 

England


lordships

 

approval

 

greatly

 
school
 
admiralty
 

mighty

 
empires
 

caring

 

ambitions

 

vexations